Some fourteen individuals were recognized for their contribution to the community in 2021 at the Pacific Area Chamber of Commerce / Pacific Partnership Christmas Party December 15 at the Pacific Eagles hall.
A lively crowd of celebrants gathered for the event that was cancelled last year due to COVID.
Among those honored were business leaders, civic volunteers, community supporters, one government official, and four first responders.
Two individuals who passed away recently, Al Baldwin and Don Hazelwood (1948-2021) were remembered with posthumous Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Al Baldwin (1955-2021) the popular vice president of First State Community Bank was a community service legend who supported the revitalization of Downtown Pacific, served on half a dozen community boards, used his position at the bank to foster area artists, authors, and events. He was an avid history buff. His wife Sherry accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award plaque.
Don Hazelwood (1948-2021) was a pioneer in the Pacific Partnership, who was the organization treasurer and a constant presence as the Partnership managed the Missouri Main Street program and staged the annual Pacific Car Show, Sunset on the Rails, Iron Horse Rodeo and Christmas on the Plaza, which brought thousands of visitor to the city.
Chamber of Commerce president Sarah Summers and Executive Director Tiffany Wilson handed out five plaques, including:
Pacific Pioneer: Tim Baker, Franklin County
Business of the Year: Pacific Eagles Aerie #3842
Citizen of the Year: Lynn Vogt, Klance Staging
Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year: Dr. Stephanie Murphy
Lifetime Achievement Award: Al Baldwin
Pacific Partnership President Amanda Nemeth and Executive Director Sam Dean also handed out five plaques, including;
Public Service Award: Pat Dubuque
Visionary Award: Jennifer Blakely
Member of the Year: Josh Sachs,
Dedication Award: Stephen Flannery III
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Hazelwood
Dennis Oliver, Brad Reed and Pauline Masson presented four plaques to area first Responders, including:
Two Pacific Insurance Executives, Dennis Oliver and Brad Reed joined forces to reinstate the annual Distinguished Service Awards for first responders.
The pair asked chiefs of area ambulance, fire and police departments to help them restart the popular program, that the Missourian newspaper and local editor Pauline Masson launches in 2002 to present distinguished service awards to local firefighters, EMTs and police officers for service that benefitted the community. which they dubbed the Pauline Masson Distinguished Service Awards.
When the Missouri closed its Pacific area section the recognition program stopped. But Oliver and Reed said the popular recognition program benefitted the entire community.
“The entire community missed this annual salute to people who are really the heroes of our community,” Oliver and Reed said. “We owe it to our first responders to take a moment once a year to recognize what they do for our community.”
Recipients of the 2021 Pauline Masson Distinguished Service Awards were:
Stephen Bryant, Pacific Police Department
Ken Prichard, Pacific Fire District Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal
EMT Megan Porter Hutchings, Meramec Ambulance District
Terry Matt, Boles Fire District
Congratulations to all the “ Luminaries “ and distinguished recipients. Service to your community is only second to service to our God. I no longer reside in Pacific and haven’t since 1998. However I do keep up with the events of my old hometown and it’s people. Each of you is a fabric woven intricately in the lives of all the citizens of Pacific and Franklin County. I applaud each of you individually and collectively for deciding to make a difference in the world 🌎 you and I live in. It has been quoted many times and I fully agree that “Each person on earth has a duty to leave it better than they found it”. You certainly have done that.☑️☑️☑️